How to hire insurance underwriters
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Authorize reinsurance of policy when risk is high. • Decline excessive risks. • Decrease value of policy when risk is substandard and specify applicable endorsements or apply rating to ensure safe, profitable distribution of risks, using reference materials. • Evaluate possibility of losses due to catastrophe or excessive insurance. • Examine documents to determine degree of risk from factors such as applicant health, financial standing and value, and condition of property. • Review company records to determine amount of insurance in force on single risk or group of closely related risks. • Write to field representatives, medical personnel, or others to obtain further information, quote rates, or explain company underwriting policies. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: Bachelor's degree] • Strong active listening, critical thinking, reading comprehension, writing, speaking and active learning skills • Working knowledge of English Language and customer and personal service • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $39.12 an hour ($81,370 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for insurance underwriters
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to authorize reinsurance of policy when risk is high. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to decline excessive risks. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to decrease value of policy when risk is substandard and specify applicable endorsements or apply rating to ensure safe, profitable distribution of risks, using reference materials. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to evaluate possibility of losses due to catastrophe or excessive insurance. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to understand a request or problem that was explained poorly. How did you make sure you got it right?
- Describe a decision at work where the obvious answer was wrong. How did you work out the better choice?
- Tell me about written instructions, a policy or a manual you had to follow closely. How did you make sure you followed it correctly?
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What insurance underwriters do
- Authorize reinsurance of policy when risk is high.
- Decline excessive risks.
- Decrease value of policy when risk is substandard and specify applicable endorsements or apply rating to ensure safe, profitable distribution of risks, using reference materials.
- Evaluate possibility of losses due to catastrophe or excessive insurance.
- Examine documents to determine degree of risk from factors such as applicant health, financial standing and value, and condition of property.
- Review company records to determine amount of insurance in force on single risk or group of closely related risks.
- Write to field representatives, medical personnel, or others to obtain further information, quote rates, or explain company underwriting policies.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for insurance underwriters
- Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree (BLS)
- Training on the job: Moderate-term on-the-job training (BLS)
- Job outlook: -3.8% over ten years, declining · about 6,800 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay insurance underwriters
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $106,640 |
| Connecticut | $100,690 |
| Colorado | $100,640 |
| Washington | $99,400 |
| New York | $97,450 |
| Oklahoma | $66,770 |
| Alabama | $62,220 |
| Mississippi | $59,250 |
See insurance underwriters pay in every state
Related hiring guides
- Accountants and Auditors
- Property Appraisers and Assessors
- Budget Analysts
- Credit Analysts
- Financial and Investment Analysts
- Personal Financial Advisors
- Financial Risk Specialists
- Financial Examiners
- Credit Counselors
- Loan Officers
Post this job on JAI Bot. Free to start: JAI Bot reads every applicant against your must-haves, shows the resume evidence behind each one, and helps you reply to everyone. People make every decision.
Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.